Perfect Match
by LadyAlesha
Summary: Xander and Faith come back from helping Giles in England, but they're not alone.


**Perfect Match**

"They're here," Dawn shouted, running to the front door. "Buffy, Willow, come on, hurry up!"

Before their visitors could even raise their hand to knock, she had thrown open the door and launched herself into Xander's arms.

"Urgh," was all the surprised young man could get out. He swayed dangerously but managed to keep his balance. "Does that mean you missed us?"

"Of course I did!" Dawn replied, affronted, "What do you take me for? Heartless? You were gone for months!"

"She has been waiting by the window since you called to tell us your plane had landed," Buffy's amused voice came from the doorway.

"Wow, I feel so loved right now," Xander's travel companion said mockingly. "Don't you, Xander?"

Xander, Buffy and Willow, who had joined the group, started giggling while Dawn tried hard to look angry. After a minute she gave up and a wide smile spread across her face, "Whatever, Faith, you know you missed us, too."

"I most certainly did not…" Faith started to protest.

"We're all happy to see you guys again," Willow cut in before an argument could start. "How's Giles settling into being head of the new Watcher's Council?"

"He's psyched about drawing up training schedules for the new slayers and combing the black market for books that were destroyed during the bombing. And until enough new watchers have been trained he's making the slayers research and learn dead languages, too," Xander reported.

"Buffy made a face. "I'm really glad I'm all senior slayer-ish. Giles on a power trip, creepy." She shuddered dramatically.

"Yeah, good thing he gave up trying to teach us anything," Faith agreed. "You should have heard them whine, though, you'd think he was killing them, not training them. But hey, why should they have it any easier than we did."

Buffy nodded sagely, ignoring Xander and Willow's smirks. Dawn just rolled her eyes at their antics; her interest suddenly peaked by Faith's full arms. "What is that you're carrying, Faith?"

"This?" the brunette asked, lifting a brown fur ball. "This is Carl, my new pet."

"A pet? What kind of pet?" Willow questioned. "It doesn't look like any pet I have ever seen, are you sure it's really a pet?"

Willow, Buffy and Dawn crowded around Faith, all of them staring at the creature in her arms. The creature was obviously asleep and had rolled its body into a tight ball, only showing the world it's thick brown fur. From what she could see Willow thought it looked like a ferret, only it was too big to be one, she was sure.

"It's a jarvey," Faith said, as if that explained everything. At their confused looks she added, "It's a magical creature, it can talk."

Xander burst out laughing at that, prompting Faith to send a murderous look his way. He ignored her though and instead turned to the others, who were still more than confused. "Believe me, he's the perfect pet for Faith. You'll understand when he wakes up," he said mysteriously and stepped inside, still chuckling.

"Where did you get it from?" Dawn asked, following Faith into the living room while Xander deposited their bags in the hall.

"An old friend of Giles's left it to him, guy named Sirius Black. Must have had a wicked sense of humor, but Giles just can't appreciate it," Faith shrugged.

"What happened to this Sirius?" Willow asked.

"Died fighting some big bad that was trying to gain control over all the witches and wizards of England and kill all non-magical people while he was at it, or some such rot."

"Does Giles need us to take care of it?"

"No, B. The big bad's been taken care of. They have their own hero over there, some boy wonder who was prophesized to save the world. Kid thinks a bit too highly of himself, if you ask me."

Buffy opened her mouth to reply, but Carl chose that moment to stir, drawing everyone's attention. The jarvey uncurled his limbs and made his body as long as it could go, looking as if he was stretching like a human might do when waking up. His large black eyes opened slowly and surveyed the people around him. When he was content that there was no immediate threat he stood up on his hind legs and said, "Bloody morons. Brainless fools."

Buffy, Willow and Dawn sat back shocked, their eyes wide and jaws slack. For a moment the only sounds were Xander's quiet chuckles and the ticking of the clock. Then Buffy asked, "Did he … did he just call us idiots?"

"He did," Faith said, smiling proudly. "Isn't he just precious?"

"I give you bloody precious, you dimwit," the jarvey said.

Buffy, Willow and Dawn were still staring at the creature in front of them, calmly insulting them, when it shouldn't even have been able to speak.

Xander, who had been silent except for his chuckling until now, said, "I told you he is the perfect pet for Faith. He was driving Giles mad, but he and Faith are a perfect match, don't you think?"

"You mean he's always like this?" Willow squeaked.

"Oh yes," Xander answered cheerfully. "He can talk, but everything that comes out of his mouth is insulting."


End file.
